Free Accessibility Testing Tools: Complete Resource Guide 2025

Free accessibility tools provide essential capabilities for organizations beginning their WCAG compliance journey or supplementing enterprise solutions. From browser extensions to command-line tools, free options detect many common accessibility issues—though they catch only 30-40% of WCAG violations, requiring manual testing for comprehensive evaluation. This guide covers the best free tools available, their capabilities, limitations, and how to use them effectively.

Understanding what free tools can and can't do helps organizations build effective testing strategies that maximize value while recognizing when paid solutions or expert evaluation are necessary.

Q: What are the best free accessibility testing tools?

A: The leading free accessibility tools include WAVE (WebAIM's browser extension), axe DevTools (Deque's browser extension), Google Lighthouse (built into Chrome), and Pa11y (command-line tool). Each serves different use cases—WAVE for visual evaluation, axe for developer integration, Lighthouse for performance+accessibility, and Pa11y for automation.

Browser Extensions

WAVE (WebAIM)

What it is: Browser extension providing visual accessibility evaluation with icons and indicators overlaid on the page.

Available for: Chrome, Firefox, Edge

Cost: Free

Get it: wave.webaim.org

What it detects:

• Missing alt text
• Missing form labels
• Heading structure issues
• Color contrast problems
• ARIA errors
• Link and button issues
• Structural problems

How to use:

1. Install browser extension
2. Navigate to page to test
3. Click WAVE icon in toolbar
4. Review icons overlaid on page
5. Click icons for details and guidance

Strengths:

• Visual representation of issues
• Clear explanations with WCAG references
• Structural outline view
• Contrast checker built-in
• Quick to learn and use

Limitations:

• Manual page-by-page testing
• Can't test authenticated pages easily
• Limited dynamic content handling
• One page at a time

Best for: Quick visual evaluation, learning accessibility concepts, manual testing workflow.

axe DevTools

What it is: Browser extension integrating with developer tools, providing detailed accessibility analysis and code-level insights.

Available for: Chrome, Firefox, Edge

Cost: Free (paid versions add features)

Get it: deque.com/axe/devtools/

What it detects:

• WCAG 2.1 A and AA violations
• Best practice issues
• Needs review items
• Detailed element identification

How to use:

1. Install browser extension
2. Open browser DevTools (F12)
3. Navigate to "axe DevTools" tab
4. Click "Scan All of My Page"
5. Review issues with code context

Strengths:

• Developer-friendly interface
• Code snippets showing issues
• Clear fix suggestions
• Low false positive rate
• Integration with dev workflow

Limitations:

• Free version has feature limits
• Requires DevTools knowledge
• One page at a time
• Some advanced features paid

Best for: Developers testing during development, debugging specific issues, CI/CD integration starting point.

Accessibility Insights for Web

What it is: Microsoft's browser extension providing automated checks and guided manual testing.

Available for: Chrome, Edge

Cost: Free

Get it: accessibilityinsights.io

What it detects:

• Automated WCAG violations
• Tab stop visualization
• Landmarks visualization
• Headings structure
• Color issues

Key features:

• FastPass: Quick automated check
• Assessment: Guided manual testing flow
• Tab Stops: Visualize keyboard navigation
• Landmarks: Show page structure

How to use:

1. Install extension
2. Click extension icon
3. Choose FastPass for quick check
4. Use Assessment for comprehensive testing
5. Use visualization tools for manual review

Strengths:

• Combines automated and manual guidance
• Visual helpers for keyboard testing
• Structured assessment process
• Free from Microsoft
• Good documentation

Limitations:

• Windows/Chrome focus
• Manual portions time-consuming
• One page at a time
• Some learning curve

Best for: Comprehensive testing combining automation and manual, keyboard navigation testing, structured audit approach.

Lighthouse

What it is: Google's web auditing tool built into Chrome DevTools, covering performance, accessibility, SEO, and best practices.

Available for: Chrome (built-in), CI/CD integration

Cost: Free

Access: Chrome DevTools → Lighthouse tab

What it detects:

• WCAG accessibility violations
• Color contrast issues
• Missing attributes
• ARIA problems
• Image issues

How to use:

1. Open Chrome DevTools (F12)
2. Navigate to Lighthouse tab
3. Select "Accessibility" category
4. Click "Generate report"
5. Review accessibility score and issues

Strengths:

• Built into Chrome—no installation
• Combined with performance metrics
• CI/CD integration via npm
• Clear scoring system
• Good for benchmarking

Limitations:

• Less detailed than dedicated tools
• Accessibility is one of many focuses
• Score can be misleading
• Fewer issues detected than axe/WAVE

Best for: Quick performance + accessibility check, CI/CD integration, developer awareness, benchmarking over time.

Command-Line and Automation Tools

Pa11y

What it is: Command-line accessibility testing tool for automated scanning, CI/CD integration, and scripted testing.

Platform: Node.js (cross-platform)

Cost: Free (open source)

Get it: github.com/pa11y/pa11y

Installation:

npm install -g pa11y

Basic usage:

# Test a single URL
pa11y https://example.com

# Test with specific standard
pa11y --standard WCAG2AA https://example.com

# Output as JSON
pa11y --reporter json https://example.com

CI integration:

# GitHub Actions example
- name: Accessibility Test
  run: |
    npm install -g pa11y
    pa11y https://example.com --threshold 0

Strengths:

• Automation-ready
• CI/CD integration
• Multiple output formats
• Scriptable for complex scenarios
• Dashboard available (Pa11y Dashboard)

Limitations:

• Command-line learning curve
• Setup required
• Single page per command (unless scripted)
• Less visual feedback

Best for: CI/CD pipeline integration, automated testing scripts, build-time validation.

axe-core

What it is: The open-source JavaScript accessibility testing engine that powers axe DevTools and many other tools.

Platform: JavaScript (Node.js, browser)

Cost: Free (open source)

Get it: github.com/dequelabs/axe-core

Installation:

npm install axe-core

Usage in test frameworks:

// With Puppeteer
const puppeteer = require('puppeteer');
const axeCore = require('axe-core');

async function testAccessibility(url) {
  const browser = await puppeteer.launch();
  const page = await browser.newPage();
  await page.goto(url);

  // Inject axe-core
  await page.addScriptTag({ path: require.resolve('axe-core') });

  // Run analysis
  const results = await page.evaluate(async () => {
    return await axe.run();
  });

  console.log(results.violations);
  await browser.close();
}

Strengths:

• Foundation for many tools
• Highly configurable
• Framework integrations available
• Active development
• Low false positive rate

Limitations:

• Requires programming knowledge
• Setup and integration needed
• Not standalone tool

Best for: Custom testing tool development, test framework integration, advanced automation.

Playwright Accessibility Testing

What it is: Playwright testing framework includes accessibility snapshot testing capabilities.

Platform: Node.js

Cost: Free (open source)

Usage:

const { test, expect } = require('@playwright/test');
const AxeBuilder = require('@axe-core/playwright').default;

test('accessibility', async ({ page }) => {
  await page.goto('https://example.com');

  const accessibilityScanResults = await new AxeBuilder({ page }).analyze();

  expect(accessibilityScanResults.violations).toEqual([]);
});

Best for: Organizations already using Playwright, comprehensive e2e + accessibility testing.

Bookmarklets and Quick Tools

ANDI (Accessible Name & Description Inspector)

What it is: Bookmarklet tool from the Social Security Administration for accessibility testing.

Cost: Free

Get it: ssa.gov/accessibility/andi/

Features:

• Accessible name inspection
• Focus order visualization
• Color contrast checking
• Link analysis
• Structure analysis

How to use:

1. Drag ANDI to bookmarks bar
2. Navigate to page to test
3. Click ANDI bookmarklet
4. Use module buttons for different tests

Strengths:

• No installation needed
• Government-backed
• Multiple testing modules
• Works anywhere bookmarks work

Limitations:

• Bookmarklet limitations
• Interface takes learning
• Manual operation only

Best for: Quick inspection, learning accessible names, Trusted Tester methodology.

tota11y

What it is: Khan Academy's accessibility visualization bookmarklet showing issues overlaid on pages.

Cost: Free (open source)

Get it: khan.github.io/tota11y/

Features:

• Heading outline
• Contrast violations
• Link text issues
• Labels inspection
• Image alt text
• Landmark structure

Strengths:

• Very visual approach
• Easy to understand
• Good for demonstrations
• Quick overview

Limitations:

• Limited detection scope
• Not comprehensive
• Manual operation

Best for: Visual demonstrations, teaching accessibility, quick overviews.

Color Contrast Tools

WebAIM Contrast Checker

What it is: Online tool for checking color contrast ratios against WCAG requirements.

Cost: Free

Access: webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/

Features:

• Foreground/background color input
• WCAG AA/AAA compliance indication
• Large text vs. normal text results
• Slider for color adjustment

Best for: Checking specific color combinations, design review.

Colour Contrast Analyser (CCA)

What it is: Desktop application for checking color contrast with eyedropper functionality.

Platform: Windows, Mac

Cost: Free

Get it: tpgi.com/color-contrast-checker/

Features:

• Eyedropper for any screen color
• WCAG compliance checking
• Color blindness simulation
• Works across applications

Best for: Desktop application testing, any screen content evaluation.

Stark (Figma/Sketch Plugin)

What it is: Design tool plugin for accessibility checking during design.

Cost: Free tier available

Features:

• Contrast checking
• Color blindness simulation
• Focus order preview
• Vision simulator

Best for: Designers checking accessibility during design process.

Specialized Testing Tools

Screen Reader Testing

NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access)

• Platform: Windows
• Cost: Free (open source)
• Get it: nvaccess.org
• Primary screen reader for Windows testing

VoiceOver

• Platform: macOS, iOS (built-in)
• Cost: Free
• Access: System Preferences → Accessibility
• Apple's built-in screen reader

Orca

• Platform: Linux
• Cost: Free (open source)
• Primary Linux screen reader

Keyboard Testing

No special tools needed:

• Tab through page
• Verify all interactive elements reachable
• Check visible focus indicators
• Test Enter/Space activation
• Check Escape closes modals

PDF Accessibility

PAC (PDF Accessibility Checker)

• Platform: Windows
• Cost: Free
• Get it: pdfua.foundation/en/pac/
• Checks PDF/UA compliance

Tool Comparison Matrix

| Tool                   | Type        | Automated | Visual    | CI/CD   | Learning Curve |
|------------------------|-------------|-----------|-----------|---------|----------------|
| WAVE                   | Extension   | Yes       | Excellent | No      | Low            |
| axe DevTools           | Extension   | Yes       | Good      | Limited | Medium         |
| Lighthouse             | Built-in    | Yes       | Good      | Yes     | Low            |
| Accessibility Insights | Extension   | Yes       | Excellent | No      | Medium         |
| Pa11y                  | CLI         | Yes       | No        | Yes     | Medium         |
| axe-core               | Library     | Yes       | No        | Yes     | High           |
| ANDI                   | Bookmarklet | Semi      | Good      | No      | Medium         |

Building an Effective Free Tool Strategy

For Developers

Recommended workflow:

1. During development: axe DevTools for immediate feedback
2. Before commit: Lighthouse check for quick validation
3. In CI/CD: Pa11y or axe-core for automated gates
4. Code review: WAVE for visual verification

For QA/Testers

Recommended workflow:

1. Initial scan: WAVE for overview
2. Detailed review: Accessibility Insights Assessment
3. Keyboard testing: Manual with no tools
4. Screen reader: NVDA/VoiceOver
5. Documentation: Lighthouse reports

For Designers

Recommended workflow:

1. During design: Stark plugin or similar
2. Color review: WebAIM Contrast Checker
3. Prototype testing: WAVE on prototypes
4. Handoff validation: axe DevTools on implemented designs

Limitations of Free Tools

What Free Tools Miss

Free automated tools detect only 30-40% of WCAG issues. They cannot detect:

• Content quality (is alt text accurate?)
• Cognitive accessibility issues
• Reading order problems (usually)
• Keyboard trap complexities
• User flow accessibility
• Context-dependent issues
• Many WCAG AAA criteria

When to Invest in Paid Solutions

Consider paid tools or consulting when:

• Need enterprise-scale scanning
• Require continuous monitoring
• Want automated remediation
• Need compliance documentation
• Facing legal requirements
• Managing multiple properties
• Needing expert support

TestParty provides:

• Continuous monitoring beyond free tools
• Automated fix generation
• CI/CD integration (Bouncer)
• Expert support (CPACC certified)
• Compliance documentation

FAQ Section

Q: Can free tools make my website WCAG compliant?

A: Free tools help identify many issues but can't ensure compliance alone. They catch 30-40% of WCAG violations—manual testing is required for complete evaluation. Free tools are excellent for awareness and common issues but shouldn't be the only testing method.

Q: Which free tool should I start with?

A: Start with WAVE for visual, easy-to-understand results. Add axe DevTools if you're a developer wanting code-level insights. Use Lighthouse for integrated performance + accessibility checking. Combine multiple tools for better coverage.

Q: How often should I run free accessibility tools?

A: Run tools during development (every significant change), before deployment (gate check), and periodically on production (catch regressions). For sites changing frequently, weekly production scans are recommended minimum.

Q: Do I need all these tools?

A: Not necessarily. Choose 2-3 tools that fit your workflow: one for quick checks (WAVE or Lighthouse), one for detailed inspection (axe DevTools or Accessibility Insights), and one for automation (Pa11y or axe-core in tests).

Q: Why do different tools report different issues?

A: Tools use different rule sets, test methodologies, and have different detection capabilities. Some prioritize low false positives (axe), others comprehensive detection (WAVE). Use multiple tools for better coverage.

Key Takeaways

• Start with free tools: WAVE, axe DevTools, and Lighthouse provide excellent starting points at no cost.

• Combine tools: Different tools catch different issues—use 2-3 tools for better coverage.

• Integrate into workflow: The best tool is one you'll actually use—integrate into existing processes.

• Remember limitations: Free tools catch 30-40% of issues—manual testing remains essential.

• Scale when needed: Free tools work for getting started; invest in comprehensive solutions for serious compliance needs.

Conclusion

Free accessibility tools provide essential capabilities for organizations at any stage of their accessibility journey. From browser extensions like WAVE and axe DevTools to command-line tools like Pa11y, free options enable automated detection of common WCAG violations without budget constraints.

However, free tools are a starting point, not a complete solution. They detect a fraction of possible accessibility issues, can't evaluate content quality, and don't provide the continuous monitoring or automated remediation that serious compliance requires.

For organizations moving beyond free tools, platforms like TestParty provide continuous monitoring, automated fix generation, and expert support that transform accessibility from manual checking to automated compliance management.

Ready to go beyond free tools? Get a free accessibility scan to see how TestParty's comprehensive approach compares to browser extensions.

Related Articles:

• How to Test Your Website for Accessibility: 10-Step Audit Process
• Accessibility Testing Tools Comparison: Automated vs Manual
• CI/CD Accessibility Integration: Shift-Left Testing Guide

Real talk: AI helped us write this, and our accessibility folks made sure it's solid. We genuinely care about making the web work for everyone—that's why TestParty exists. But accessibility compliance can be tricky, so please chat with a pro before making any big moves.